I agree with Miriam that test publishers present easy targets for blame.
While I am not overly compelled to defend CTB McGraw Hill, I am not sure
about the point being made by John and Bruce.  Is it that;

- The TABE is a bad standardized test and there are others that are
better suited to our purposes?  Or is it that

- All standardized assessments are bad and should not be part of any
system for evaluating program or student performance?  Or is the
argument that

- Standardized assessments should only be part of a more comprehensive
evaluation system that includes portfolios, performance-based
assessments and teacher observations (this, I believe, is part of the
argument David made in a similar thread a few weeks ago)

 

 

Venu Thelakkat

Director of ASISTS/Data Analysis

Literacy Assistance Center

32 Broadway, 10th floor

New York, NY 10004

(212) 803-3370

venut at lacnyc.org

www.lacnyc.org

-----Original Message-----
From: assessment-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:assessment-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of John Gordon
Sent: Wednesday, November 21, 2007 2:42 PM
To: The Assessment Discussion List
Subject: [Assessment 1073] Re: TABE Training

 

I think Bruce was right on the money about the TABE. It's hard not to be

cynical about the role of the test publishers. I wonder about the role

McGraw Hill has played in getting the TABE adopted, why they keep coming

out with new versions every couple of years, etc. 

 

Much as I like to think that programs are not letting the tests drive

instruction, I'm doubtful. The  pressures to show testing outcomes are

so intense (high stakes testing for the programs!), I assume many

programs devote considerable time to preparing students for the TABE and

other tests. I would point out that McGraw-Hill now publishes a series

of TABE workbooks. So much for not letting the test drive instruction. I

have no idea how many programs around the country use them; I'd be

interested to know....

 

john gordon

new york

 

-----Original Message-----

From: assessment-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:assessment-bounces at nifl.gov]

On Behalf Of Kroeger, Miriam

Sent: Wednesday, November 21, 2007 11:00 AM

To: The Assessment Discussion List

Subject: [Assessment 1072] Re: TABE Training

 

OVAE requires that Adult Education programs funded through WIA Title II

use "standardized assessment procedures....The procedures must be a

standardized test or a standarized poerformance-based assessment with a

standardized scoring rubric."  (NRS guidelines, pg.22) OVAE is also in

the process of "vetting" assessments for approved use in AE programs.

With the standarized, reliability and validity requirements, programs

have "defaulted" to publishers' tests - thus the overwhelming use of

TABE or CASAS.  (Other tests that may have previously been used such as

ABLE or AMES are no longer published or have not been updated.)  

 

We all know that no test is perfect; what we need to know is how to make

the best use of the tests that are approved and to not let a test drive

the instruction; rather it should help to inform instruction.  Given

that, do the majority of individuals using the TABE use the resources

that are available with it?  Someone has suggested that the instructors

take the tests. They should at least review them at all the levels.

They also need to be aware of the level at which the test items are

written.  A scale score of 600 on an E level test does not indicate that

the student is at an ASE II level.  

 

Additionally, the Users Manual for both 7/8 and 9/10 contain item

analysis for each question for both the complete and survey.  Using

these tool appropriately the instructor can get an idea of some of the

skills that a student may be weak in.  There are even sample lesson

plans that demonstrate how a skill could be addressed in instruction.

Publishers are not the big bad bogeymen - many of the people who work

for them and who develop these materials and resources once worked in

the field.  They probably get paid more, or heaven forbid - have a

full-time job and benefits with a publisher!

 

Perhaps the frustration that many feel is caused by a (seeming?)

emphasis on numbers (ed gains) and not enough recognition of the

professional judgement of the teacher and student-centered learning.  

 

Peace and Blessings to all at this Thanksgiving time

 

-Miriam Kroeger

Arizona

 

 

-----Original Message-----

From: assessment-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:assessment-bounces at nifl.gov]

On Behalf Of Bruce C

Sent: Sunday, November 18, 2007 10:01 AM

To: The Assessment Discussion List

Subject: [Assessment 1062] Re: TABE Training

 

Hello Assessment List:

 

Here's the bind we have been in forever:

 

The standardized tests like the TABE tell us little about what is really

go on, but they are required, easy to administer, and give us a "score."

Other assessments--formal and informal--give lots of information about

what is really going on but they take too much time and are not

considered "valid and reliable" scores. 

 

I would discourage people from using the TABE to analyze students'

reading abilities. The TABE is not even a great indicator of reading

level or progress, and I think any analysis of students' skill sets

based on the TABE is really shaky--no matter what the publishers who

make tons of money on the TABE say.

 

It takes a lot more time to do one-on-one assessments where you ask

students to read something--silently and/or aloud--note their errors and

ask them questions about it. But that is definitely worth analyzing. 

 

Also,  I think the TABE is a particularly bad standardized test.  

 

A few comments:

--If students scores high on the TABE, they are pretty much guaranteed

to be good readers (and a good test

takers)

--If students scores low on the TABE:

they might be poor readers,

they might have been tripped up by this bad test:

maybe they needed more time to read well maybe they got nervous, maybe

they read and understood every bit of the TABE but picked the wrong

answers or maybe something else was wrong--they were tired, distracted

by something in their personal lives, hungry, or sick. 

 

from Bruce Carmel

Turning Point

Brooklyn NY

 

 

 

 

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